Technical Note: Interference errors in infrared remote sounding of the atmosphere

Classical error analysis in remote sounding distinguishes between four classes: "smoothing errors," "model parameter errors," "forward model errors," and "retrieval noise errors". For infrared sounding "interference err...

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Main Authors: R. Sussmann, T. Borsdorff
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Copernicus Publications 2007-07-01
Series:Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
Online Access:http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/7/3537/2007/acp-7-3537-2007.pdf
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author R. Sussmann
T. Borsdorff
author_facet R. Sussmann
T. Borsdorff
author_sort R. Sussmann
collection DOAJ
description Classical error analysis in remote sounding distinguishes between four classes: "smoothing errors," "model parameter errors," "forward model errors," and "retrieval noise errors". For infrared sounding "interference errors", which, in general, cannot be described by these four terms, can be significant. Interference errors originate from spectral residuals due to "interfering species" whose spectral features overlap with the signatures of the target species. A general method for quantification of interference errors is presented, which covers all possible algorithmic implementations, i.e., fine-grid retrievals of the interfering species or coarse-grid retrievals, and cases where the interfering species are not retrieved. In classical retrieval setups interference errors can exceed smoothing errors and can vary by orders of magnitude due to state dependency. An optimum strategy is suggested which practically eliminates interference errors by systematically minimizing the regularization strength applied to joint profile retrieval of the interfering species. This leads to an interfering-species selective deweighting of the retrieval. Details of microwindow selection are no longer critical for this optimum retrieval and widened microwindows even lead to reduced overall (smoothing and interference) errors. Since computational power will increase, more and more operational algorithms will be able to utilize this optimum strategy in the future. The findings of this paper can be applied to soundings of all infrared-active atmospheric species, which include more than two dozen different gases relevant to climate and ozone. This holds for all kinds of infrared remote sounding systems, i.e., retrievals from ground-based, balloon-borne, airborne, or satellite spectroradiometers.
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spelling doaj.art-45e76cff502349958f90f4d17c51ad832022-12-21T23:20:34ZengCopernicus PublicationsAtmospheric Chemistry and Physics1680-73161680-73242007-07-0171335373557Technical Note: Interference errors in infrared remote sounding of the atmosphereR. SussmannT. BorsdorffClassical error analysis in remote sounding distinguishes between four classes: "smoothing errors," "model parameter errors," "forward model errors," and "retrieval noise errors". For infrared sounding "interference errors", which, in general, cannot be described by these four terms, can be significant. Interference errors originate from spectral residuals due to "interfering species" whose spectral features overlap with the signatures of the target species. A general method for quantification of interference errors is presented, which covers all possible algorithmic implementations, i.e., fine-grid retrievals of the interfering species or coarse-grid retrievals, and cases where the interfering species are not retrieved. In classical retrieval setups interference errors can exceed smoothing errors and can vary by orders of magnitude due to state dependency. An optimum strategy is suggested which practically eliminates interference errors by systematically minimizing the regularization strength applied to joint profile retrieval of the interfering species. This leads to an interfering-species selective deweighting of the retrieval. Details of microwindow selection are no longer critical for this optimum retrieval and widened microwindows even lead to reduced overall (smoothing and interference) errors. Since computational power will increase, more and more operational algorithms will be able to utilize this optimum strategy in the future. The findings of this paper can be applied to soundings of all infrared-active atmospheric species, which include more than two dozen different gases relevant to climate and ozone. This holds for all kinds of infrared remote sounding systems, i.e., retrievals from ground-based, balloon-borne, airborne, or satellite spectroradiometers.http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/7/3537/2007/acp-7-3537-2007.pdf
spellingShingle R. Sussmann
T. Borsdorff
Technical Note: Interference errors in infrared remote sounding of the atmosphere
Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
title Technical Note: Interference errors in infrared remote sounding of the atmosphere
title_full Technical Note: Interference errors in infrared remote sounding of the atmosphere
title_fullStr Technical Note: Interference errors in infrared remote sounding of the atmosphere
title_full_unstemmed Technical Note: Interference errors in infrared remote sounding of the atmosphere
title_short Technical Note: Interference errors in infrared remote sounding of the atmosphere
title_sort technical note interference errors in infrared remote sounding of the atmosphere
url http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/7/3537/2007/acp-7-3537-2007.pdf
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AT tborsdorff technicalnoteinterferenceerrorsininfraredremotesoundingoftheatmosphere